Replay
by crescendos
Summary: but, even with them all talking about her, she was thinking more about the one voice that hadn't said anything.
1. Chapter 1

This story is set in late S2, right after Night of Neglect. Slightly AU.

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><p>"She needs to realize that she's not 'trying to help us'; she's the selfish brat she always is." Rachel furrows her brow as she hears the hushed voices inside the choir room. She waited outside the door, trying to hear more.<p>

"Every time she raises her hand, I am just waiting for yet another day of 'What solos can I give me?' When will she learn that she's not the only one in here?" Rachel recognized the obviously high voice of Kurt.

"She is so confident in herself that she has to use it all to bring us down." Rachel shut her eyes as she heard the voice of Tina. She'd really thought her and the other girl had been getting closer. Everyone mutters their agreements and she quietly listened as everyone says their thoughts on her, ranging from "Someone needs to burn those clothes, with or without them on her" to "I'm so tempted to just walk up and put duct tape on her mouth all the time." Rachel knew the club had their thoughts about her, but she didn't know it was this bad. Maybe this "family" wasn't as special as she thought it was. The brunette dug her nails into her palms as she tried to not cry. If she cried now, she wouldn't stop and the other members would know she heard. She wouldn't give them the chance to stumble and try and act like they weren't just talking about her. At least not now. If they wanted her to stop talking, then that's what she'll do. She took a deep gulp, and turned on her heel.

Walking to her car, Rachel took long ragged breaths, trying to keep her emotions in check. She got into her tiny Prius, and hit her head against the back of the seat. She tried to recognize who said what about her.

"She needs to realize that she's not 'trying to help us'; she's the selfish brat she always is." That was obviously Mercedes. While the two were always dueling for solos, Mercedes never prepared and Rachel always did. She had numbers prepared for every member of the group, and then narrowed down which ones would sound best together, and would please the crowd most at competitions. Rachel's voice fit many of the songs she had picked for their emotional depth and/or lively music. Still, she tried to keep it equal, even if it seemed as though she only catered to herself. Most of the time, her ideas involved songs for others, but she was cut off and told to stop being so vain. Still, even with this, Rachel never thought Mercedes hated her this much. The two had been acting like friends ever since the Night of Neglect concert. Apparently, the girl's feelings for Rachel had stayed the same.

"Every time she raises her hand, I am just waiting for yet another day of 'What solos can I give me?' When will she learn that she's not the only one in here?" Kurt. Her supposed best friend. The two bonded over their shared love of New York and dreams of being on Broadway. Weekly sleepovers were held at each other's houses, and they laughed and gossiped about boys. No matter what, she'd never treated Kurt differently because of his sexuality. She never underestimated him. Just yesterday, she had been telling him about a song she thought he would sound perfect singing. Rachel felt tears well up in her eyes. Was their friendship a lie? Did Kurt only pretend to like her like everyone else?

"She is so confident in herself that she has to use it all to bring us down." The way Tina's voice filled with disgust as she said this made Rachel want to vomit. The two were never on that bad of terms. Rachel felt bad that Tina didn't get very many singing opportunities. But, the girl had never worked for it. If she had tried harder, she'd be in Rachel's position. Rachel even gave Tina advice on breath control, and how to hold notes longer.

"Someone needs to burn those clothes, with or without them on her" Santana had clearly said this. Rachel noticed that the girl never commented on Rachel's singing, but instead on her appearance. Maybe because she couldn't deny Rachel's voice, but could tear her apart on her choice of clothing. Rachel was comfortable in her outfits, and they weren't nice enough to matter if they were stained by slushy. Rachel had never made fun of Santana for her breast augmentation. She made one offhand comment about her being a stripper, but she regretted it immediately.

"I'm so tempted to just walk up and put duct tape on her mouth all the time." Rachel was surprised that it was Brittany that said this. Brittany was prided on being nice to everyone and never speaking bad. Was Rachel really that bad that she irritated the nicest girl in school?

"I can't believe I dated her for as long as I did. She never did anything but whine." Pangs in her chest were apparent to the girl as she heard Finn say this. Finn was her first love. He'd seen the bad in her and accepted it. She had loved the boy with all her heart, and he seemed to have felt the same. She'd supported him through everything, even when she really didn't want to. He knew what he was getting into with her.

"She's crazy annoying, but she's hot though." She supposed she couldn't be too angry at Noah since he had already said this many times before. She had, however, thought they were better friends than that.

"I wish she would stop singing so that I could dance for once." Mike had never made it apparent to Rachel that he had wanted to dance more. They'd taken some classes together, but he never told her that he wanted to have more opportunities in class.

"Rachel just always has to be the star; I wish she would just be quiet for once." She really really had thought Sam was her friend. The two were on good terms since he came to McKinley, but apparently Samuel had to go with everyone else and talk about how egotistical she was.

"For real though, Rachel seriously needs to hold up and let others sing. This isn't Rachel Berry and the Back Ups." Artie and Rachel were never very close, but he had complimented her voice and she had told him how good he sounded on numerous occasions.

But, even with them all talking about her, she was thinking more about the one voice that hadn't said anything.

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><p>Hello all. I'm trying to figure out which direction to take this story in. Your input would be greatly appreciated.<p>

1. Should Rachel's fathers be absent from her life mostly or heavily involved?

2. Would you prefer to Rachel stay silent for a while towards the members or should she just angrily burst out at them?


	2. Chapter 2

Quinn Fabray. When her "best friend" and everyone else were ripping her apart, the one person that stayed silent was her mortal enemy. The girl who had hated Rachel since the moment she saw her. Any chance she got to hurt Rachel, she took. But when everyone else was in agreement and was doing what the blonde had done for years, she was completely quiet.

"Maybe she only likes to humiliate me when I'm right there, so she can see the hurt on my face." Rachel quietly said to herself while unlocking the door to her house. She decided to wipe any thoughts of Quinn from her mind. She didn't want to think about any of the glee club once she was safe and home. Rachel opened the front door and sighed, breathing in the familiar, loving scent of her home. She was instantly greeted by her pit bull, Avigdor. The brunette smiled as the dog jumped on her, furiously licking her. She sank down to the floor and hugged the dog close. After a belly scratch and many face kisses, Rachel went to the kitchen. She looked for a note from her fathers, since they weren't home much. When she didn't see one, she hummed and began looking through the fridge. As she was fixing herself a veggie burger, she heard footsteps coming down the stairs. She quietly grabbed a sharp knife and hide in the corner of the kitchen, holding her breath. As she heard the footsteps come inside the kitchen, she quickly turned to face her attacker. Instead, she was met with the scream of her father. A huge grin spread out on her face as she dropped the knife. She ran over to hug her father, who was standing trying to catch his breath.

"Papa! You're home! I missed you and Dad so much. How was New York?" Her father smiled as his daughter rambled on. He'd missed her while he and his husband were away for a business trip for a few weeks.

"We missed you too, Rach. New York was lovely as always. Next time we go, it won't be for business and we'll take you with us. How has school been, honey?" Rachel felt her breath hitch as her father asked this. She loved her fathers to death, but she really didn't want to tell them about what she heard the glee saying.

"Oh, it's been same old, same old. You know how school is, Papa." She flashed a quick smile to try and prove that she was fine. Her father seemed to believe it, ruffling her hair while pulling her in for another hug.

'I'm glad it hasn't been too horrible, Rach. You know, the club seemed to really like you when you had that Regionals party a few weeks ago. Nothing like how you said they were the 1st year." Rachel robotically nodded and gave a tense smile.

"Yes, well, I'm going to take my food up and start on my homework, Papa." He nodded, and she smiled again, grabbed her burger, and dashed upstairs. She took deep breaths while in her room. She hated lying to her fathers. While she took small bites of her burger and looked over her calculus homework, she couldn't help but let her mind wander to the glee club. She wouldn't just sit by and keep doing everything, knowing they thought she was being a selfish bitch. Wait, that's exactly what she would do. Well, kind of. She was just going to sit. She wasn't going to sing, talk, or do anything, really.

"This is exactly what the club wants." Rachel laughed bitterly. It'll be hilarious to see them try and accomplish anything without her. She had no heart to care really anymore. She'd tried and tried to make them see that she cared about the entire club with all her heart, but they shut her down and tried to make her look like some spawn of Satan., She was through with it. Sighing, she worked out her calculus homework and then flipping to a new page, she began to write out her exact plan of action.

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><p>The next day, Rachel woke up and rubbed her eyes before hopping out of bed. She padded downstairs, kissing her Papa and giving her Dad a sleepy "I missed you" hug, and grabbing some fruit. She smiled to herself as she cut up the fruit into chunks and listened to her parent's morning conversation. Quickly eating her breakfast, she walked back up the stairs and got onto her elliptical. She set her playlist to shuffle and furiously worked to the beat of whatever song came on. Since she was sweating hard, she jumped into the shower, letting the hot water flow down her back as she instantly relaxed with a deep sigh. Today was definitely going to be a game changer. She was not Rachel Berry, pushover extraordinaire, anymore. The glee club had pushed her around for almost 2 years, and she was sick of it. Her best friend had lied to her about their friendship. She was bullied, physically and emotionally, and she had reached her boiling point. Their secret "Let's shit on Rachel while she's not here" meeting was the last straw. The singer quickly dried off, and walked over to her closet.<p>

"Let's make a scene." She thought to herself, as she reached far into her closet and grabbed the clothes she saved for weekends and family events. Rachel slid into a pair of tight leather pants and pulled on a black tank top. She grabbed a flannel and shrugged it on, while tying up her converse. She let her hair hang loose down her shoulders, and smiled at herself in her mirror. They weren't going to know what hit them.

Rachel pulled into a parking spot in front of the school. She mentally prepared herself for the day, reminding herself not to give in to her fellow members, before getting out and slamming the door shut. Hugging her bag tightly, she opened up the doors into the school and immediately felt stares on her. A few random boys looked her up and down, before a girl hit them upside the head. She cocked her head to the left and regained her composure, letting the stares burn into the back of her head. She passed Noah, who raised his eyebrows appreciatively with a smirk, and Tina, whose eyes became as wide as saucers and mouth dropped. She simply ignored them as she felt Kurt walk up next to her.

"Hey Diva. I missed you yesterday! I didn't see you all day. Also, nice wardrobe change. It doesn't really fit your personality, but you look hot." The smile on his face made Rachel want to scream. Instead, she bit her tongue and kept walking forward, not looking at the boy once.

"Rachel? Hello? Anyone in there?" He raised his eyebrows amusedly. Rachel just turned the corner to her locker, and spun the combination. Kurt pursed his lips as the girl looked at her locker, not once making eye contact with him.

"Rachel? Seriously, what's wrong? Are you okay?" Rachel put her AP Economics book into her locker, and traded it for her Calculus book before closing the door and turning sharply, leaving Kurt alone at her locker, confused at what had just happened.

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><p>Rachel sat through Calculus, ignoring the burning eyes of Santana, who sat behind her. The bell rang, and Rachel packed up her stuff. When everyone was out of the room, Rachel was just about to walk out, until she was pushed into a wall.<p>

"What's with the new look, Hobbit? I mean, you look hot, but why? Are you trying to impress Finn again? Because I think he's thirsty for Q right now. Anyway, why the fuck aren't you talking, Berry? You're a blabber mouth, but according to Kurt, you haven't said one word all day. You know what, whatever, I don't really care. Just save your big mouth for Glee Club ideas." Santana let go of Rachel, swiftly picked up her bag, and strode out the room. Rachel let out a deep breath as soon as the girl left. She didn't realize how hard it would actually be not talking. But this is exactly what the club wanted. They all said so. Their wish is her command. The brunette grabbed her bag, and set out for the cafeteria.

Normally, Rachel would sit with Kurt, Mercedes, Tina, Artie, and whoever else was at their table. But today when they saw her and waved her over, she gave them one look and then turned to walk towards the auditorium. At their table, Kurt sighed.

"Has Rachel been ignoring all of you too?" He questioned the rest of the members. The girl had not made contact with him all day, and he was really worried. They all nodded their heads, and he groaned, pressing his fingers into his temples.

"C'mon Kurt, don't worry, she's probably just in one of her moods. You know how Rachel can get."Mercedes reassured her friend sympathetically. The rest of the group nodded, assuring him that Rachel was fine. Kurt smiled and nodded. They were probably right. Rachel was fine.

Rachel sat cross legged on the stage, pulling her thermos out of her bag. She spooned some tomato and lentil soup into her mouth and began to think about how the day had gone. She'd been doing well, she hadn't spoken once. The teachers looked at her once and saw the rigid look on her face and didn't dare to call on her. She laughed to herself as she realized how ironic it was that Santana was the only one who asked her directly why she wasn't talk to anyone. Glee club was next and she was both looking forward to it and not. She wanted to see how the club would crash and burn without her, but she wasn't as excited for the verbal attacks she would be getting. Letting her shoulders fall, she reassured herself.

"Rachel, you can do this. This isn't stuff they haven't said to you before. This is all their fault anyway. You are only standing up for yourself." She continued to eat soup as she watched an episode of Say Yes to the Dress on Netflix. If the club thought she was whiny, they really needed to watch this show. Finally, the lunch bell rang and Rachel packed up her things before walking to the choir room. She closed her eyes and breathed in deep, before walking in. Almost everyone was already seated. She took a seat far away from the rest of the members. They all slightly shook their heads and went back to their conversations. Quinn was the last one to walk in. She took the empty seat next to Rachel, and gave the girl a small nod when Rachel gave her a confused look. Rachel decided to ignore the girl, and focused on Mr. Schue when he walked in.

"All right guys! We have lots to do today. First, I'd like to commend everyone who took part in Night of Neglect. It was refreshing to hear the often unheard voices for once." His eyes quickly darted towards Rachel for a millisecond, while everyone clapped. Rachel rolled her eyes at the teacher. "Okay, next, our topic for the week is Stripped. No, we are not going to be doing stripper themed songs. This week is all about using your voice to express the feelings inside you. No instruments, no dancing, just you singing." Everyone waited for Rachel to begin blurting out her ideas. She stayed silent. They all stared at her expectantly. The brunette just picked at her nails.

"Rachel? Is there something you want to sing?" The teacher looked at her, his eyes boring into her. She simply looked up, made eye contact with him, leaned back in her seat, and crossed her arms.

"Mr. Schue, Rachel is in another one of her moods today." Mercedes rolled her eyes, while Mr. Schue nodded knowingly. Rachel had a look of disgust on her face, and when she glanced next to her for less than a second, Quinn wore a similar expression.

"Alright, Rachel, you can have a day, but tomorrow we really need you to come prepared." He turned his attention towards the other members. "Does anyone want to sing today?" Finn raised his hand, and went to the middle of the floor. He stood and sang an awkward version of "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" by the Ramones, making heart eyes at Quinn who looked like she wanted to vomit. Mike attempted to sing some love song to Tina, who looked like she was about to drown in her tears. Mr. Schue clapped for them before announcing that class was over. Everyone left while Rachel was still packing up. As soon as bent down to grab her bag and came up, she was met with the hazel eyes of Quinn Fabray.

"Why aren't you talking, Berry? Normally, even when you are in a so called mood, you still at least talk during Glee." Quinn sighed as the short girl simply stayed silent. "Fine. If you want to actually talk, here." Quinn grabbed Rachel's arm, scribbling down her number before mumbling a goodbye and walking out, leaving Rachel staring at the messy numbers as if her arm had been burned.


	3. Chapter 3

The 10 letters messily written on her right arm in purple ink were going to be the death of her. It had been 2 days since Quinn Fabray, head cheerleader, Satan's minion, and the prettiest girl at McKinley, had given Rachel Berry, social pariah, her number. Rachel wrote it on a piece of paper before scrubbing her arm raw, trying to erase the number from both her body and her mind.

"This has to be a joke. There's no way Quinn Fabray cares about me." Rachel shook her head, trying to convince herself of this.

"Well, she _was_ the only one at that meeting that hadn't said anything bad about you."

"Shut up, Quinn Fabray doesn't give a shit about you, Rachel." Rachel took one last look at the piece of paper she'd written the number on, before throwing it in her desk and slamming the drawer shut. She needed to get her mind off of Quinn. Rachel finished her homework before throwing on some workout clothes and heading outside. Plugging her ear buds into her ears, she set off on a run. Running was the best way to clear her mind. She'd learned this last year after the Shelby incident. After her mother had rejected her, she didn't know what to do. She didn't want to go home, and it's not like she had a friend's house to go to. So, she laced up her shoes and let her feet hit the pavement. The way the wind hit her face as she ran was one of the best feelings. Outside running was also another way to switch up her normal exercise routine. Rachel closed her eyes as she breathed in the cold air. Rachel never bothered to count how many miles she ran or how long she ran. Running was just about getting away, it didn't matter to her exactly how far she'd gotten. She checked her phone and saw that the time was approaching 6:30. She really didn't like running when it was dark outside. She ran to clear her mind. If she ran at night, she would definitely have to be thinking and there was no way she could run peacefully. She decided it was time to jog back to her house. Crouching down, she attempted to catch her breath.

"Rachel? Is that you?" Rachel's eyes widened and her eyes darted around her surroundings. Of course she ran into the Fabray's neighborhood. Rachel mentally cursed herself as she tried to figure out what to do.

"I saw someone standing outside my house, so I came outside to check it out and I guess it's you. Why are you here so late? Couldn't wait to see me again?" Quinn gave the girl a smirk before winking. Rachel felt like her intestines were going to fall out. Rachel bit the inside of her cheek, not letting herself reply to Quinn. Quinn took a step closer to Rachel.

"I don't know why you aren't talking, but I'm going to figure it out. This isn't you, Berry. If you think shutting up is going to make people not care about you, you're wrong." Rachel wanted to scream at the blonde. She'd never had to go through what Rachel had. She had real friends. Her friends didn't talk about how unbearable she was. Quinn Fabray wasn't made fun of every second of every school day. Quinn Fabray did not have the one place she felt safe at school invaded by her tormentors. Instead of this, Rachel let out a bitter laugh and turned around, leaving the blonde girl staring at the fading figure of her.

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><p>Rachel walked into school the next morning, immediately greeted with a slushy to her face.<p>

"You may think you can just change your clothes and you won't be a loser, Berry, but you're wrong. You will always be just another friendless freak." Karofsky smirked at her before high fiving his friends and walking away, laughing loudly at the girl who stood there with blue corn syrup dripping down her head. Standing by her locker, Quinn Fabray's jaw locked as she watched the girl get pelted with the slushy. She shut her locker, before quickly walking to catch up with the group of football players.

"Hey Q, did you see the dwarf get slushied? Blue really fits-" Before he could finish this, Quinn grabbed him by the collar of his letterman jacket and slammed him into an empty classroom, kicking the door closed as she shoved him inside. The boy smiled, obviously unaware of the blonde's true intentions.

"Damn, Quinn, if you wanted a quickie, you could have just asked." The girl's eyes turned to ice as she glared at the boy.

"First, that's disgusting. I wouldn't even spit on you, let alone fuck you. Second, leave Rachel Berry alone. I'm serious."

"Are you okay, Quinn? Do you need to get to a doctor? Berry is a freak. She needs to know her place in this school." Karofsky tried to regain his composure, his ego wounded by Quinn's rejection.

"I swear to god, Karofsky, if you do anything to her, and I mean anything, I will hunt you down and I will cut your balls off and stick them up your ass so you'll never be able to get a dick in there." As soon as the football player heard this, he quickly stood up, towering over Quinn.

"I don't want a dick in my ass, Fabray. I'm not fucking gay. I'm not a fag like Hummel and his boyfriend. I don't know what you heard, but I'm not a homo." He stared down at her, his eyes blazing with anger and fear.

"You know what, I really could care less if you want a dick up your ass. All I care about is that you leave Berry alone. I will make you pay if you don't. I've spent 2 years with Sue. I can and will destroy you." Karofsky thought about this for a second, before widening his eyes.

"Alright, Fabray. I'll leave the loser alone. But one question. Why do you care about her so much?" Quinn was already out the door before she could answer his question. As soon as she was out of the room, she breathed a sigh of relief. Now with the idiots leaving her alone, it would be easier to figure out what was up with Rachel. Quinn headed towards the girl's bathroom in search of a slushy covered girl.

Rachel worked her hands through her hair, trying to get the ice chunks out. She was screwed. She hadn't brought another set of clothes, assuming that since she changed her wardrobe she wouldn't need one. Her dark hair had a slightly blue tint to it and there were some dried blue liquid streaks on her face. As she bent down to splash water on her face, she heard the bathroom door open. When she looked up, Quinn was standing there, arms crossed.

"Let me help." Quinn phrased this more as a command than a statement. Rachel knew denying the girl wouldn't do anything. Quinn grabbed the chair that Rachel had put in the corner of the bathroom after many slushy attacks. She pointed to it, and the brunette sat. Rachel bent her head back into the sink, letting Quinn run her fingers through her hair, washing out the remnants of the frozen drink.

"You look good with blue hair, Berry." Rachel let a small smile spread on her lips before letting it fall. Quinn noticed this and mentally congratulated herself on making the girl smile. Once the slushy was out, Rachel began to ring her hair out over the sink.

"Do you have extra clothes, Berry?" Rachel shook her head, looking down at the floor, trying to avoid the cheerleader's eyes. Quinn nodded and rushed out the bathroom. Rachel let out a sigh. What was up with Quinn? First, she gave Rachel her number. Now, she was washing slushy out of the girl's hair. Quinn rushed back inside the bathroom with clothes in her hand.

"Here. I keep these in my locker in case we have an impromptu glee song or Sylvester decides to let us out of the uniform. They might be a little big. The jacket is for if it gets cold outside." Rachel cautiously took the clothes, and then nodded at Quinn as a way of thanking her. Quinn understood the gesture, and smiled back.

"I'll see you in Glee, Rachel." The blonde smiled once more before disappearing, leaving the brunette utterly confused. Rachel went into a stall and changed into Quinn's clothes. The white shirt and jeans were a little big, but Rachel made them work. She unfolded the jacket and her jaw dropped to the floor. She held it up, not believing what she had in her hands. Quinn Fabray had given her her Cheerios jacket.

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><p>Unfortunately, it was a freezing winter day in Lima, so Rachel had the choice to either wear the jacket or die of hypothermia. Rachel pulled her hair up, sliding on the jacket, before letting her hair spill down onto the jacket. Both the Cheerios logo and Quinn's name were still clearly visible. Rachel put her hands to her temple, trying to figure out Quinn. Would Quinn really take a trick on Rachel this far, so far that the blonde could risk becoming a target herself? Rachel truly had no idea how far the girl would go to ruin her life. But, she had seemed sincere when she helped Rachel. Rachel shook her head. She didn't have time to deal with this. She needed to get to Glee. Rachel took a big breath before stepping out of the bathroom and into the halls. It was as if everyone had been alerted to the fact that Rachel was wearing Quinn's clothes. Eyes stared deep into her as she attempted to walk to the choir room. Everyone was already sitting when Rachel walked in, and Quinn had a huge smirk on her face when she saw Rachel wearing the jacket. Kurt immediately approached Rachel.<p>

"Oh, so you can't talk to me or any of your other _friends,_ but you can walk around wearing the clothes of the girl who has tortured you endlessly for years?" The boy shook his head in disgust at the girl. Rachel bit her tongue and just stared at him.

"Honestly, Rachel, you know you're our friend, but we're kind of getting sick of you only caring about yourself and always wanting attention." Mercedes gave the girl a glare before turning back to her conversation with Tina.

"I thought you knew who your friends were, Rachel. But you're not talking to us and it's obvious, by the looks of what you're wearing, that you've been talking to Quinn, who not only is not your friend but has been responsible for much of the bullying you've endured."

"Will you shut it, Hummel? Berry hasn't talked to me. I saw her get slushied this morning and I lent her some clothes. Isn't it funny that you're going on about how Rachel is your friend yet you did nothing when she got slushied? And don't even try with the "I didn't see" bullshit, because you were right there. You stared at Rachel and then turned your back to talk to Tina and Artie. You keep blabbing about how I've tortured Rachel, and I have. I'm not denying it. But, I, her torturer, was the one that helped her this morning. Not her supposed friends. Think about that." Quinn rolled her eyes at the boy before patting the seat next to her, motioning for Rachel to come sit. Rachel stepped away from Kurt and carefully sat on the chair. Just as she sat down, Mr. Schue came in and began to talk to the class.

"Alright guys, it's time to continue this week's lesson. Does anyone-" He stopped, frowning at the obvious tension in the room. Kurt and Mercedes were glaring at Rachel and Quinn, who were sitting together. Everyone else was awkwardly sitting, waiting to see what either side would do. "What's going on, guys?" He looked at both groups, looking for an answer.

"Rachel won't talk to us, her friends, but she's wearing Quinn's jacket, Quinn who has terrorized Rachel since freshman year." Tina spoke up since neither Kurt and Mercedes nor Rachel and Quinn were talking.

"Rachel, I must say, I'm getting pretty tired of your act you're doing. The club really needs your ideas for sectionals, but you're just being selfish to your friends and to myself, the people who have worked so hard to keep this club afloat. I'm disappointed in you. I expected you to be less selfish than this." Mr. Schue gave the girl an unhappy look, shaking his head. Rachel stared at him before grabbing her bag and walking out of the room.

"Why don't you make up some ideas for Sectionals, Mr. Schue? I mean you are the teacher, and it's pretty sad if you have to rely upon one student for ideas when you're the one who's supposed to organize and come up with this stuff. No one in this club has done half the work that Rachel has. We all just show up and sing the songs that she comes up with. She puts all her work into this and we all, myself included, treat her like shit. You're all pathetic." Quinn grabbed her bag and followed the brunette out the room.

"Rachel? Rachel? Are you here?" She turned the corner finding the girl in the same place where they'd talked before when Rachel told Finn that Puck was the father. Quinn gently set down her bag before sitting down next to the girl, who was just sitting there.

"We're all idiots. Every single one of us in Glee with the exception of you. We've all hurt you, some worse than others, and we still expect you to show up with a smile, ready to lead us to victory. And it's so fucked up. I really am sorry, Rachel. I know I've hurt you more than anyone in there, but I regret it so much. You have always been there for all of us, regardless of who we were and our past, and you helped us. And here we are, blaming you for every issue and getting angry when you show up without your smile. I can't speak for the rest of the idiots in that club, but Glee is the best part of my day and it wouldn't be a part of my life if it weren't for you. I'll do whatever I have to do to earn your friendship and maybe one day, your trust." Quinn took a deep breath before grabbing her bag. She was just starting to walk away when she heard a quiet voice speak 3 words.

"I heard them."


	4. Chapter 4

Words can't explain how sorry I am for neglecting this. Been super stressed with school. Enjoy xx.

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><p>"<em>I heard them."<em> Quinn's hands shook as she tried to not cry.

"You heard them…" Quinn clarified, wanting to make sure she was 100% clear on what Rachel was talking about. When Rachel nodded, Quinn tried to keep her face from scrunching up and letting the tears fall. Rachel really didn't deserve what they did to her, and worse, Quinn didn't anything to stop it.

"Rachel, I'm so sor-"Rachel put her hand up to quiet the girl before shaking her head. The brunette's shaky voice quietly began to speak.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for. You weren't the one saying things about me."

"I didn't stop it though, Rachel. I sat there and let them talk bad about you." Rachel began to laugh really hard. Quinn gave the girl a sharp look, not believing what she was seeing, but also enjoying hearing the girl's laugh again.

"Quinn, I'm used to it. I've just decided to not take it anymore. The fact that you didn't say anything means more than you could ever know." Rachel gave the blonde a small smile who returned one. The two sat in comfortable silence, until they heard a loud voice coming towards them.

"Berry? Where the fuck are you, Manhands?" Santana called out in her almost obnoxiously loud voice. She turned the corner and found Rachel and Quinn sitting together.

"Oh, this is why you left, Q? Should've known you were a dyke for Berry. But, right now, all Berry needs to do is get her annoying ass back to the choir room so we can get ready for sectionals. I will not let RuPaul ruin the chance for this club to stay alive. Let's go, Berry. Get over your diva issues and come actually help us." Santana rolled her eyes at the girl while impatiently tapping one foot.

"Santana. No." Quinn stood up from her spot and stood in front of Rachel like some sort of shield. The blondes' warm hazel eyes met the Latina's dark eyes and instantly turned to steel. Santana raised her eyebrow and squinted at her friend.

"Listen, Q. I really couldn't care less right now about your boner for Berry. This is her chance to finally stop being such a selfish brat and actually help us." Rachel winced at the mention of "selfish brat," the words bringing back the memories from the day she'd heard the glee club talking about her. Quinn noticed the wince, a flash of worry crossing her features. Her entire face turned to hard stone as she looked at the Latina, blazing fury evident all over her face.

"You really think Rachel hasn't helped the club? Who is the one that has raised her hand almost every day, ready to make suggestions? Who has dedicated her time to this club and preparing us to make us better? Who is the one that has come up with most of our fucking group numbers? I sure as hell wasn't you or I. You all talk about how Rachel needs the club, and there's no way she'd leave it, but the way I see it, the club needs her, and we're all just too fucking stupid and prideful to realize it. So either come up with your own ideas or go fuck yourself, Santana." Quinn spat out at the girl, an angry fire in her eyes, fists clenched at her sides. Santana let a flash of awe and shock cross her features before regaining her hard exterior.

"Well, well, well, aren't you Mother Teresa? You've been just as mean to Berry as we have. You are just as guilty. Stop trying to act all high and mighty when in reality, you are just as bad, if not worse, than the rest of us. It's plainly obvious to anyone with eyes that Berry is just a charity case to you anyways. Are you trying to get back with God by helping the losers so he'll let you into heaven despite your bastard child?" Santana smirked before a hard slap echoes the halls. Quinn's jaw dropped open as she watches Rachel's palm collide with Santana's cheek. The girl stumbles back and regains her composure, staring with her mouth open at Rachel. Rachel shoots Santana an angry stare, before grabbing her bag and Quinn's arm, ad storming out the building.

"Whatever, Berry! I swear to God, if you aren't in Glee tomorrow, you will not spend one minute not covered in slushy." Santana shouted towards the two retreating figures.

* * *

><p>Once outside, Rachel let her grip on Quinn's arm fall. She mumbled an apology to the blonde who simply shook it off.<p>

"Do you need a ride?" The blonde questioned the brunette who simply shrugged and nodded. The two walked to Quinn's car. Once inside, the cheerleader took a deep breath.

"You're not a charity case to me." Quinn softly said as she looked to the girl next to her. Rachel closed her eyes and kept them shut, not saying a word. "I swear, you aren't. You're amazing, Rachel. It just took me a stupidly long time to realize it. I want to be your friend. I want redemption, yes, but I also want you. I-I mean, I want to be your friend even after you forgive me for my mistakes. We've barely had 10 minutes of a civil friendly conversation, yet I feel as though you could become something big for me. A big part of my life, I mean. I've barely cracked your shell. Please don't close up again." Rachel simply grabbed the other girls hand and gave it a light squeeze. She held on for another minute before realizing what she was doing. Quinn's heart dropped at the lost of the girls warm hand on hers. Quinn let out a deep sigh before turning on the car and starting to drive. At stoplights, while she waited, she watched the brunette sit and look at the various buildings with a tiny smile gracing her features.

"Um, Rachel. Do you have some time before you have to be home?" Rachel looked at the small gold watch on her wrist before nodding.

"Do you want to go get some coffee?" Rachel bit her tongue to keep from smiling too large and gave the blonde a happy nod.

Snow had started to fall in Lima. It was nearing closer to the official date of winter every day, and Rachel couldn't wait. She loved everything about the cold. Her favorite feeling was drinking a warm coffee and watching the snow fall down in light flurries, the coldness bringing her a sense of happiness. Once parked in the parking lot, Rachel looked down at her outfit. She had on jeans, a t shirt, and Quinn's jacket was still wrapped around her in comfort. Quinn sensed the girls' hesitance and reached into her backseat. She found a spare beanie and scarf and threw them to the girl.

"Here. If those don't keep you warm enough, just let me know and I'll do my best to keep you from freezing." The blonde winked at Rachel before hopping out of the car. Rachel pulled on the items, blushing as she took in Quinn's words. Quinn rushed over to Rachel's side and opened the car door for her, going into a curtsey.

"After you, my lady." Rachel snorted and pulled the jacket tighter around herself. The pair walked into the coffee shop, greeted with the strong smell of coffee and the warmth of the shop. Rachel breathed in the heavy smell and let out a content sigh. Walking up to the cashier, they both debated on what they were in the mood for.

"One grande Peppermint Mocha with no whipped cream, and soy milk. Basically no dairy in it, please."

"Just a grande soy Mocha please." The blonde smiled at the cashier who was punching in their orders as fast as she could.

"Alright, one grande peppermint mocha, no dairy, and one grande soy Mocha. Your total will be 8.55." Rachel reached for her wallet, but was too slow. Quinn slid the cashier a 10 and took her change, dropping it in the tip jar.

"Quinn Fabray! I could've paid for my own drink!" Rachel huffed at the giggling blonde.

"I know you_ could've_, Rach. But, that doesn't mean I would let you. I'm the one that asked you out for coffee, so therefore, I pay. Ask me out and you can pay."Quinn teased with a sly smirk on her lips. Their drinks were ready, so they grabbed them and sat down in the big chairs near the window. Rachel took a sip of hers, letting the hot drink burn and then soothe her taste buds. Quinn gingerly sipped at hers, watching Rachel immerse herself in looking at the snow.

"So, you're a winter girl, eh?" Quinn asked Rachel, who was still staring at the falling flakes.

"If it wasn't already obvious, yes. I love winter. I love the cold. There's just something about the snow: the way it falls, the way it makes everything else seem more comforting, the fun you can have in it. I love the exclusivity of it. Some parts of the US don't get any snow at all. But, everywhere in the US gets sun, even if it's just a little bit." Rachel let out a blissful smile just thinking about winter. The two girls sat and talked and talked until the shop workers came up to them and informed them that it was closing. They walked out of the shop, watching as their breath turned to fog in the cold winter air.

"Hey, Rach. You know what my favorite part of winter is?"

"What?" Rachel turned around to face the blonde and was instantly met with a cold, wet snowball to the face.

Quinn let out a sugary sweet smile. "Snowball fights." Rachel bit her lip and narrowed her eyes.

"You did not just throw that at me, Quinn Fab-"She was cut off as another snowball hit her. Wiping the snow from her face, she was met with the image of a cackling Quinn, clutching her stomach from laughing so hard. Rachel scooped up a handful of snow, shaping it into a circle, before pulling back her arm and launching it at the still laughing blonde. Rachel gave Quinn an equally sweet smile as the blonde gave her a pointed look.

"This is war, Berry."Quinn gritted through her teeth. She then instantly grabbed snow and shaped it, hurling them at the brunette. Rachel yelped and ran, trying to escape the flying mounds of ice. The two girls threw snowballs back and forth at each other for at least half an hour, laughter echoing all throughout the cold Ohio night. Quinn sat down on the step of the coffee shop, still laughing at Rachel and her snowball throwing. Rachel came up behind her not too long after and collapsed next to the blonde. Rachel rested her head on the blondes shoulder, and the two sat in silence for a few minutes. Then, Quinn grabbed Rachel's hand, leading her back to the car.

"C'mon, Rach. Let's get you home. Your dads are probably worried about you." Rachel bit her tongue. She wasn't even sure if her fathers were home. They most likely left for another "business trip." She plastered on a fake smile which Quinn noticed. The blonde grabbed Rachel's hand and gave it a light squeeze before going back to the wheel. Quinn and Rachel drove down the streets with Christmas music blaring from the car, which Rachel was happily singing along to. Quinn turned the corner and pulled up in front of Rachel's house. She turned off the car and turned to Rachel.

"I guess this is my stop. Thank you for tonight, Quinn. I needed it more than you could imagine." Truthfully, Rachel was a little afraid that soon, Quinn would go back to her old ways and dump her, leaving her all alone again. It seemed like the blonde cheerleader could sense it because she grabbed Rachel's hand forcefully, pulling her towards her just as the brunette was about to get out of the car.

"I'm not going anywhere, Rach. You're stuck with me." Her hazel eyes twinkled as they looked into Rachel's deep brown eyes, full of hope. Rachel gave her a smile. Quinn leaned in towards Rachel. Rachel gulped, unsure of what was about to happen. Rachel accidently tilted her head a little. Quinn's lips gently touched the corner of Rachel's mouth. The blonde's mouth dropped open and she began to stammer.

"I-I meant to… your cheek…I'm s-sorry." Both girls were breathing extremely heavy, unsure of what had just happened. Rachel shook her head.

"N-no. It was my fault. My apologies, Quinn." Rachel's shaky hand opened the car door. "G-Goodnight, Quinn. Tonight was lovely." The blonde nodded with a glazed look in her eyes. Rachel began to walk towards her door before realizing she still had on Quinn's jacket. She ran back to the car which Quinn had just started up again.

"Quinn! I almost forgot. I still have your jacket." Rachel shrugged off the jacket, holding it out to the girl. Quinn shook her head.

"Keep it." Then, she sped off down the street, leaving the other girl standing in the snow shell shocked, clutching a cheerleading jacket.


End file.
